Part Three: Exploring Oral History (worth 70 points)

Part Three A: The Federal Writers' Project of the 1930's recorded more than 10,000 life stories of men and women from a variety of occupations and ethnic groups. The following is a sampling of these interviews, which include audio excerpts read by modern actors. Some of theses pictures tell of the person or people in that picture and some tell what problems they have there. Some just tell what their lives are like where they are.

All in a Day's Work: Industrial Lore	Chris Thorsten Iron Worker	Mr. Garavelli Stonecutter	Alice Caudle Mill Worker
Rank and File	Anna Novak Packing House Worker	Jim Cole Packing House Worker	Irving Fajans Department Store Worker
Hard Times in the City: Testifying	Man at Eddie's Bar	Man at Colonial Park	Bernice Rent Party Hostess	Clyde "Kingfish" Smith Street Worker
Making Do: Women and Work	Mrs. Elizabeth E. Miller	Mrs. Mayme Reese Housewife	Mrs. Marie Haggerty Maid

Individual Work: 30 points

• After reading all of the above excerpts, answer the following question by writing a well developed paragraph:

What were these people like and how do they represent the time period and area of the country being studied in this project?

• Use at least 5 of the interviews in the paragraph.
• In your answer, provide links to the interview in your writing when you mention them in your writing..

Group Work: 20 points

• Next, using the paragraphs that everyone in the group wrote, compose a larger essay that everyone will be happy with publishing.
• Use the discussion tool on your group home page to discuss how you will all contribute to this essay.
• This work is worth 50 points, 30 for your individual paragraph and 20 for the group one.

Part Three B:

Individual Work: (10 points)

• Read 2 oral histories from WPA Life Histories from Alabama , click on the Alabama titles, and complete these questions.
• Answer the 6 questions and write a paragraph that covers the information requested.(Put this paragraph onto your wiki).

Group Work: (10 points)

• Edit and revise the paragraphs each person wrote into one essay that everyone is happy with publishing.

Suggested readings:

• "Amy Chapman's Funeral"
• "Looking Around With a Hay Farmer"
• "Sallie Smith"
• "The Story of Katy Brumby"
• "Terrapin Dogs"

go back to the TKAM Wiki Project